Seriously, these things are built to last. When the apocalypse occurs in 2012, this Sennheiser would be left intact (maybe the wires would get destroyed). And for future generations of the human race (or whoever takes over the earth), they would be a relic of the old world. I own two pairs, one for work and one for portable use, I treat the portable headphone with utmost care, like a baby, while the one for work gets tossed around and daily abuse, and yet both look the same. On a note of the clamping force, the frame needs to burn in, so that the...

Sound comparison to the hf5: Slight increase in bass (may be due to the dynamic driver moving air). Drum kicks and low bass feel more realistic on the mc5, however the bass is of higher quality on the hf5. It's a good compliment if you love Ety's sound with a bit more kick in the bass. And it responds to equalization much much better than the hf5, I could turn this into booming bass monsters with a degree of clarity being remained. Lovely. Lastly the treble isn't as bright and rolls off earlier than the hf5, this could be a good thing or a bad...

...got everything else wrong. Take this mini-review with a grain of salt because YMMV with these IEMs. You may even get a great fit with comfort, but I didn't. Tried all the tips. The gliders don't stay. The foams are itchy. The grey flanges are itchy and too big. The only one that works are the stock small flanges. They fit well and isolate well, BUT they are uncomfortable as HELL. I am considering upgrading to the custom tips or even buying some other tips, however I've seen users whose HF5's broke due to using other tips, so be careful. The...

Bass = perfect Mids = perfect Highs = perfect The highs are very slightly rolled off. And I've watched a video review from Inner Fidelity which mentions grain, but I hear none. Also the EX1000 doesn't offer much more than the EX600, I cannot justify the price of that IEM. Lots of tips to choose from, they're intimidating at first, but you will find one you like. I'll admit I didn't like it at first due to it being worn around the ear, but that has it advantages as well. Looking forward to the XBA series.

I don't really have much experience with IEMs, because it's rare to find one that I truly like. There is always a problem which is either the sound or fit. That said, this satisfies me on both levels and my wallet is happy. It's not as comfortable as the Marshmallows or the Air Cushions, but it is comfortable, and that's a good thing because 90% of IEMs don't agree with me. The best IEM I've heard is the EX600 and the FXC51 can give it a run for it's money in terms of detail. The EX600 has a near perfect sound in my book along with a great fit and...

I used these for gaming, they were perfect, the anemic bass made hearing the details easier and the large soundstage worked well with classical. I really loved these and I regret selling them, maybe I'll pick up an AD900.